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  Magnetic Particles    

This rock contains magnetic dust. Many of the particles are magnetic. The particles that are magnetic are all pieces of volcanic type material. The reason there are so many of the particles is because the lava material is very brittle. The material is brittle because it was formed on Mars where the gravity is less and the atmospheric pressure is less.  The material could flow into thinner walls than would be possible on Earth.   Thus any mechanical motions tend to break off small pieces from any of these types of rocks, which results in the rounding of the rock from which they came. This is the reason there are so many round rocks on Mars and the reason that part of the dust of Mars is magnetic. This conclusion is based on observations of my rock. Many times when I have just sat it down for a moment, I have noticed that when I pick it up again, little dust-sized pieces are left behind. All of the magnetic particles shown have come from within this rock.